Newly unearthed One UI 8.5 setup animations hint at a serious makeover for Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, which feature a much flatter stem, a more stripped-down charging case, and a new hands-free control trick in the form of Head Gestures.
The leak provides the most in-depth look yet at Samsung’s next flagship earbuds, which are widely expected to debut alongside the company’s next Galaxy S-series phones.
Those images match up with previous firmware crumbs and hint at a refined take on the Buds formula. The stem-based profile remains in place, but it looks like the sharp, triangular flourishes and the glowing bar of the previous model are no more. In their place is a sleeker, more subtle look that seems designed for comfort and everyday wear. The regular Buds 4 could carry the same nomenclature — it’s what Samsung did with its past Buds series.
Redesigned hardware and case aim for easier everyday use
There’s more to the move toward a flat stem than just looks. It should help the earbuds be easier to pinch-grip for those controls, which the animations show aren’t going anywhere. Remove the stem light bar and you lose some of that visual pop, but also some elements that consume power and complicate IP protection. Mic and vent placement appear slightly adjusted, a standard approach to tidying up wind handling and call clarity without altering the overarching silhouette.
The charging case gets a significant redesign. Now, instead of the downward vertical drop-in style, the earbuds lie flat in the bin — again an orientation used by a few premium rivals, since this reduces how much travel they have to make and makes them align magnetically more easily (while keeping larger ear tips from hanging up). It also serves to minimize pogo-pin wear. This, for users, should mean a quicker and more assured dock — no matter what has changed regarding current height — and a slimmer profile when in your pocket.
Design course corrections like these are not easy. “Comfort, intuitive controls, and case ergonomics are now the top reasons for buyers to switch brands in the premium earbuds segment,” say analysts at Counterpoint Research. Refining these touchpoints is what companies do to close the gap with category leaders.
Head gestures will bring true hands-free control options
Strings from the same One UI 8.5 build, however, suggest a Head Gestures feature on Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Although head-based controls aren’t an entirely new concept — both Sony’s WF-1000XM5 and Google’s Pixel Buds Pro have nod-to-answer and shake-to-decline for calls, for example — Samsung looks to be taking the idea in a direction that goes beyond call management. The code hints that nodding or turning your head could correspond to, say, controlling media or other common functions.
Technically, this is thanks to the earbuds’ own array of sensors, presumably including some sort of accelerometer and gyroscope that can detect whether you’re involuntarily moving or intentionally flicking. When done right, it solves a genuine “life” kind of problem: runners (sweaty hands!), commuters (gloves on!), or nightstand denizens (don’t want to reach for a phone mid-task) will all chuckle the moment they actually use one. It also layers on a level of accessibility for those who benefit from touch-free controls.
The key will be calibration. Sony, for example, provides sensitivity settings in its app that can reduce accidental triggers. We can expect Samsung to offer some similar protection options and customization per gesture so that users can choose what feels most natural.
Key features likely to continue from the previous model
While the animations highlight design and gestures, there are some big hints that a few marquee features from the last generation will continue. Adaptive ANC, multi-point connection, and Samsung’s seamless device handoff in its ecosystem are virtual locks. On the software side of things, spatial audio with head tracking for supported Galaxy phones, support for SmartThings Find, and LE Audio with Auracast broadcasting — an area that Bluetooth SIG said is starting to see traction in public scenarios such as airports and museums — are also expected to be key highlights of the package.
Audio will also be closely examined. The Buds 3 Pro featured Samsung’s foray into AI-enhanced voice pickup and ambient sound. Continuity is important here, especially since Bose, Sony, and Apple are all raising the bar on call clarity as well as transparency mode naturalness and wind suppression at this price point.
What the redesign could mean for Samsung and its ecosystem
Debuting a shinier, flatter-stem Buds 4 Pro alongside its new Galaxy flagships would highlight Samsung’s notion of an ecosystem play: tighter integration and easier controls over devices that are premium but not more than they need to be. It is also a pragmatic answer to user input on fit, ergonomics, and real-life use cases — all areas that help drive repeat purchases, industry trackers at IDC say.
Competition will be fierce. The active noise cancellation of Apple AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM5, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds sets a bar for how good it can be in terms of power, consistency, and spatial audio. If it pairs that cleaner design with improved mic performance and a careful rollout for Head Gestures, Samsung might just capture the audience that prizes ease of control almost as much as sound quality.
Bottom line: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro seem like they will be more comfortable, less obtrusive, and genuinely hands-free. That stack, on top of ecosystem bonuses and a more polished case, is just what the doctor ordered to keep Samsung’s premium earbuds firmly in the conversation.
